[KOSEN] "Command Center for Semiconductor Talent Development" Fully Launches: 200 from Industry, Government, and Academia Gather for "Semiconductor Human Resource Development Center (S-PORT)" Opening Ceremony

Sasebo KOSEN's "S-PORT" Opening Ceremony and Commemorative Symposium Launches as a Core Hub for Semiconductor Human Resource Development

On Tuesday, March 17, 2026, the National Institute of Technology (KOSEN), Japan (Hachioji, Tokyo; President: Eiji Nakajima) and Sasebo National College of Technology (Sasebo, Nagasaki; President: Sadayuki Shimoda) held an opening ceremony and commemorative symposium for the "Sasebo National College of Technology Semiconductor Human Resource Development Center (S-PORT)" at Arkas SASEBO.

Approximately 200 people from industry, government, and academia, including private companies (45 semiconductor-related companies, 4 financial institutions), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), local governments, and educational institutions, gathered in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture. They engaged in enthusiastic discussions aimed at fostering "work-ready talent" to support Japan's semiconductor industry. S-PORT has officially launched as the "command center" for the network of 51 national KOSEN colleges nationwide.

(Image: Panel discussion in progress)

(Image: Professor Hiroto Yasuura, Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University)

■ Why "S-PORT" Now? - The Challenge of Semiconductor Talent Shortage and KOSEN's Answer

Amidst ongoing global semiconductor supply instability, the shortage of highly skilled personnel in the semiconductor field has emerged as a pressing issue in Japan. What is needed is not just talent that understands manufacturing technology, but also possesses an integrated perspective. S-PORT was created to meet these societal demands.

S-PORT is an acronym for Semiconductor education Platform for Orchestrating Resources & Talents, signifying an educational platform that orchestrally brings together "people, things, talents, and wisdom."

S-PORT inherits and develops the achievements and knowledge of the "COMPASS 5.0" project, which Sasebo KOSEN has been promoting in collaboration with Kumamoto KOSEN and others since fiscal year 2022. It has been formally established as the core hub for the KOSEN Institute's semiconductor human resource development.

■ MEXT's Mr. Matsumoto: "This Center is a Crucial Key to the Nation's Semiconductor Talent Development"

At the opening ceremony, key figures from industry, government, and academia took the stage to express their expectations for S-PORT.

・Sadayuki Shimoda, President of Sasebo National College of Technology
"From here, we will produce semiconductor talent that can spread their wings to the world"
We have opened this center based on the achievements of the COMPASS 5.0 project. Through industry-academia-government collaboration, we will build an open educational ecosystem and cultivate practical engineers who can take a panoramic view of the supply chain while incorporating the demands of the field. Human resources are a regional treasure, and education is the hope of society. We aim to become a "port" that connects Sasebo to Kyushu and the world, linking regions and creating the future.

(Image: President Shimoda of Sasebo KOSEN)

・Hideto Matsumoto, Director, Specialized Education Division, Higher Education Bureau, MEXT
"This center is a crucial key to the nation's semiconductor talent development"
For over 60 years, Sasebo KOSEN has nurtured talent that supports our region and country's industries. Starting in fiscal year 2025, we will strengthen information technology education through the University and KOSEN Function Enhancement Support Project, further accelerating the development of advanced IT personnel in conjunction with the COMPASS 5.0 project. We also expect this center to lead semiconductor education across all 51 national KOSENs and function as a hub for the semiconductor education network that promotes the fusion of KOSEN and industry, becoming a base for much innovation.

(Image: Mr. Matsumoto from MEXT)

・Shinji Kusunoki, Director, Regional Economic Department, Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, METI
"From Kyushu to the entire nation. KOSEN pioneers semiconductor talent development"
Kyushu is a region that supports Japan's semiconductor industry. With TSMC's entry, we established the "Kyushu Semiconductor Human Resource Development Consortium" in 2022 to secure talent and promote the region's appeal. In Kyushu, where not only semiconductor manufacturing but also many materials and equipment companies are concentrated, we have high hopes that the educational model of Sasebo KOSEN, which produces many core personnel responsible for the social implementation of semiconductors, will spread throughout Kyushu and, by extension, all of Japan.

(Image: Mr. Kusunoki from METI)

・Jun Osera, Director, Kenhoku Promotion Bureau, Nagasaki Prefecture
"The hub for industry-academia-government collaboration supporting Nagasaki's semiconductor industry is launched"
Nagasaki Prefecture's semiconductor industry has grown to become a core industry, accounting for about 20% of its manufacturing shipment value (approx. 350 billion yen). As we attract companies and develop the supply chain to expand the industry, the sustainable development of highly skilled engineers has become an urgent task. In this context, we expect this center to play a role as a hub that quickly reflects the needs of the industry in education and research, bringing together industry, academia, and government.

(Image: Mr. Osera from Nagasaki Prefecture)

・Daisuke Miyajima, Mayor of Sasebo City
"The birth of a new base for semiconductor talent development that supports the challenges of young people"
In the semiconductor field, which is the foundation of modern society, the talent shortage is becoming severe, and its cultivation is a pressing issue. The establishment of this center provides an environment where students can acquire the ability to "create," "use," and "connect" from basics to application, and we expect it to lead to value creation by students and have a ripple effect on local industries. We also want to further strengthen the collaboration between education and industry and support the creation of an environment where young people can take on challenges with dreams.

(Image: Mayor Miyajima of Sasebo City)

■ The Talent Model Envisioned by S-PORT: "Indispensable Talent 'Creates,' 'Uses,' and 'Connects'"

S-PORT Center Director Takeshi Inohara outlined the core of the talent required in the Society 5.0 era with three words.

Required Talent / Meaning
Create / Technical ability to design and manufacture semiconductor devices
Use / Practical ability to handle social applications such as AI and robotics
Connect / Integrative ability to create value across cyber-physical and other barriers

"What Japan needs from now on is not just manufacturing personnel, but talent who can maximize the value of semiconductors within the context of society as a whole." (Takeshi Inohara, S-PORT Center Director)

(Image: Center Director Inohara)

■ "The Mechanism Brought by Sasebo KOSEN's 'Minimal Fab'"

An important factor in Sasebo KOSEN establishing S-PORT is its possession of a "Minimal Fab." This environment, which does not require large-scale factory equipment and allows students to quickly prototype and verify their own conceived and designed devices on campus, makes it possible to cultivate semiconductor engineers who can realize their ideas, not just "think" about them.

(Image: Training using the Minimal Fab)

(Image: Minimal Fab)

■ The Next Stage S-PORT Aims For ~ The Future of the Region and Japan ~

① Nationwide Expansion & Network Deepening
Expand the semiconductor talent development collaboration, in which 32 KOSENs of the KOSEN Institute currently participate, to all 51 KOSENs. Share knowledge, teaching materials, and practical training environments nationwide.

② Towards a Social Infrastructure for Reskilling
Function not only for current students but also as a place for reskilling for corporate engineers and working adults. Continuously supply "work-ready" talent that meets the needs of the industry.

③ Development as an Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration Hub
Evolve into a strategic base that continues to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of Japan's semiconductor industry through joint research, contract projects, and personnel exchanges with companies.

(Image: Center Director Inohara explaining S-PORT)

■ Lectures and Panel Discussion Held with About 200 People from Industry, Government, and Academia

At the commemorative symposium and panel discussion held following the opening ceremony, leading figures in the fields of semiconductors, AI, and robotics took the stage. They discussed topics such as the "turning point" for Japanese industry and education.

■ Keynote Speech I: "On Human Resource Development and Higher Education Reform for the Semiconductor Industry"

Mr. Hiroto Yasuura (Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University / Deputy Director General, National Institute of Informatics)

Mr. Yasuura stated, "The semiconductor industry is a comprehensive industry involving diverse fields beyond electrical and electronic engineering, such as materials, information, data science, management, and medical-engineering collaboration, making the development of a wide range of human resources essential." He pointed out that while horizontal division of labor, which separates design and manufacturing, is mainstream globally, and Taiwan has promoted industrial agglomeration under a national strategy, Japan is in the midst of a transition. He emphasized the importance of integrally fostering the ability to "create, use, and connect." He also stated, "KOSEN is a vital presence that supports Japan's engineering foundation," and touched upon the agile educational reforms progressing through the COMPASS 5.0 project, which leverages the integrated management of the National KOSEN Institute and the agility of each school through information sharing and trial and error. He expressed great expectations for KOSEN's pioneering efforts in advanced engineering education with an eye toward the next generation, amidst the progress of AI and changes in industrial structure.

(Image: Professor Yasuura, Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University)

■ Keynote Speech II: "AI Foundation Models for Robots"

Mr. Tetsuya Ogata (Professor, Waseda University / Chairman, AI Robot Association)

Mr. Ogata stated, "The advancement of 'Physical AI,' which fuses AI and robotics, is carving out new industrial domains in close connection with semiconductor technology." Based on his research experience spanning mechanical engineering, neuroscience, and information engineering, he emphasized the importance of talent that can handle AI and hardware in an integrated manner. In particular, he introduced that "initiatives that combine deep learning with real-world robots with the goal of social implementation are creating value different from conventional research-centered approaches." He pointed out that in such fields, the circulation of simulation and real-world data, as well as semiconductor technology, are key, and it is necessary to cultivate cross-disciplinary skills from the educational stage. He praised KOSEN for its strength in education that crosses mechanical, electrical, and information fields to "first make something that works," and for having an educational environment that can naturally connect AI and robots. He expressed his expectation that "KOSEN's efforts to promote practical human resource development and connection with industry through the S-PORT and COMPASS 5.0 projects will become an important foundation to support the coming Physical AI era."

(Image: Professor Ogata, Waseda University)

■ Panel Discussion: "Building a 'Semiconductor Talent Development Ecosystem' at KOSEN"

In addition to Mr. Yasuura and Mr. Ogata, the panelists were Mr. Akichika Tanaka (Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sasebo KOSEN alumnus) and Professor Kenichiro Takakura (Kumamoto KOSEN). The discussion was moderated by Mr. Ryutaro Okada (Executive Director, Japan Deep Learning Association) and Center Director Inohara, leading to a lively debate.

The discussion began with the globally trending topic of Physical AI, and moved on to the importance of KOSEN education, where young people are exposed to manufacturing technology together with the local community, and the increasing demand for semiconductors linked to the fusion of sensing, data, and robotics. It concluded with the hope that early exposure to manufacturing education will thicken the layer of future talent, and that S-PORT will become a port for industry, government, academia, and finance, with firm involvement from financial institutions, in order to aim for the reconstruction of Kyushu as a "Silicon Island" on par with Taiwan, through collaboration between Sasebo KOSEN, Kyushu's KOSENs and universities, and the industrial world.

(Image: Panel discussion in progress)

(Image: Moderators, from left: Center Director Inohara, Mr. Okada)

(Image: Panelists, from left: Mr. Yasuura, Mr. Ogata, Mr. Tanaka, Mr. Takakura)

■ "KOSEN Future Co-creation Session" Starring Students - The Next Generation Image Born from Research Results, Practical Education, and Dialogue with Companies

One of the highlights of this symposium was the "KOSEN Future Co-creation Session" (poster session). Students from KOSENs nationwide, KOSEN alumni entrepreneurs, various associations, and participants from private companies presented their past studies, research results, and training reports as posters. The participating students fully demonstrated the potential of next-generation engineers through direct dialogue with industry leaders.

Furthermore, in a talk session by three entrepreneurs who are graduates of Sasebo KOSEN, powerful messages were sent to their juniors:
"There are still amazing people overseas. Go out and connect with them."
"First, don't be afraid to raise your hand. If you raise your hand, someone will surely help you."
"When KOSEN students go out into the world, they are expected to be able to 'build this,' and opportunities naturally come their way. I want you to seize those chances without fail."
These powerful messages became strong encouragement for the younger students.
The sight of executives from industry, government, and academia listening to student presentations and deepening discussions embodied the "ecosystem where people and technology circulate" that S-PORT aims to create.

(Image: Poster session in progress)

(Image: Talk session by entrepreneurs who graduated from Sasebo KOSEN. From left: Shunsuke Michigami, CEO of wavelogy Inc., graduated from the main course in March 2020 and the advanced course in March 2022; Akichika Tanaka, Senior Manager of the toio Business Promotion Office at Sony Interactive Entertainment and toio developer, graduated from the main course in March 2002; Fumihito Imura, CEO of Hundred Semiconductors Inc., graduated from the main course in March 2000.)

■ Comment from Eiji Nakajima, President, National Institute of Technology, Japan

Since their establishment in 1962, the National Colleges of Technology (KOSEN) have supported the development of our country's industry and society by nurturing engineers equipped with a solid academic foundation and practical skills.

In recent years, as the demand for talent in the semiconductor field has rapidly increased, 32 national KOSENs are currently collaborating to promote semiconductor human resource development together with industry, the government, and local authorities.

At the Semiconductor Human Resource Development Center, we will build an ecosystem where technology and people circulate through open innovation via industry-government-academia-finance collaboration. We will cultivate value-creating talent that solves regional societal issues and contribute to the sustainable development of our nation's semiconductor industry.

(Image: President Nakajima of the KOSEN Institute)

[School Profiles]

■ Sasebo National College of Technology
Sasebo National College of Technology was established in 1962 as one of the first 12 national KOSENs and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2022. The approximately 10,000 graduates it has produced are active in society as engineers and researchers. Their solid practical skills have earned high praise from various fields. Since fiscal year 2022, along with the GEAR project, it has also been promoting semiconductor talent education as COMPASS 5.0 (curriculum development for next-generation foundational technology education). Particularly in Kyushu, where a global semiconductor hub is being formed, this school, as a "base school for the semiconductor field" along with Kumamoto KOSEN, is working in close collaboration and making every effort to cultivate advanced semiconductor engineers who will support Japan's industrial base.
Location: 1-1 Okishin-machi, Sasebo, Nagasaki 857-1193
President: Sadayuki Shimoda
URL: https://www.sasebo.ac.jp

(Image: Exterior of Sasebo KOSEN)

■ National Institute of Technology, Japan
Establishes and operates 51 National Colleges of Technology nationwide.
Accepts junior high school graduates and provides a five-year integrated education for engineers. Through specialized education that emphasizes experiments and practical training, students acquire knowledge and skills comparable to or greater than those of a university by the time they graduate at age 20. Graduates play a central role in the development of Japan's industry and society and have supported Japan, a manufacturing powerhouse, for about 60 years.
Location: 701-2 Higashiasakawa-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 193-0834
President: Eiji Nakajima
URL: https://www.kosen-k.go.jp/

(Image: Exterior of the KOSEN Institute headquarters building)

■ Inquiries Regarding the Opening Ceremony of the Sasebo National College of Technology Semiconductor Human Resource Development Center
National Institute of Technology, Japan, Sasebo National College of Technology
Student Affairs Division, Semiconductor Section
1-1 Okishin-machi, Sasebo, Nagasaki 857-1193
TEL: 0956-34-8428
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: https://www.sasebo.ac.jp/education/s-port/

■ Inquiries Regarding the Semiconductor Field in General
National Institute of Technology, Japan, Headquarters, Academic Affairs Division, Academic Affairs Section
701-2 Higashiasakawa-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo 193-0834
TEL: 042-662-3143
E-mail: [email protected]
URL: https://www.kosen-k.go.jp/
We are always available for consultations regarding media coverage and industry-academia collaboration.

[To Members of the Press]
Please feel free to contact us for interviews regarding this release, provision of image materials, arrangement of visits to KOSEN, etc. We can also coordinate specific initiatives and student interviews at KOSENs in each region.